Automobile buffer device



G. A. LYON AUTOMOBILE BUFFER DEVI CE Jan. 29, 1924. 1,481,964

Original Filed June 14 1921 Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

"EOE-GE ALBERT LYON, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMOBILE BUFFER DEVIQE.

Application filed June 14. 1921 Serial No. 477,586.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, (isontu-z Alumni Lyon, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Philadelphia. county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania. have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating toAutomobile Bufl'er Devices. of which the following is a specification.taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. which forms part ofthe same.

This invention which is a continuation in part of that disclosed in mycopertling application Serial No. 424.685 filed Neucmber 17, 1920,relates especially to resilient buffer or bumper devices for automobilesor other vehicles in which the spring steel or other resilient strips ormembers have clamped thereto, a resilient sheet metal or other contactclamping or connecting device having a vertically'wide contact facethroughout the central part of the buffer. and preferably havingintegral clamping members to ad justably or otherwise clamp thereto theone or more bufier front strips. Such vertically extending clampingdevices may be advantageously formed of spring steel strip or sheetmetal three sixteenths to three eighths of an inch thick more or. less,and having if desired vertically separated contact portions, one ofwhich may in some cases be substantially in line with the buffer frontstrips one or more of which may extend across the bufi'er front behindor adjacent the cooperating contact clamping member. These dif ferentfront contact portions may be separated from each other vertically tothe desired extent, so as to secure a front collision face which may besubstantially flat if desired. and which may have a vertical width ofsix or eight inches more or less in some cases. With the present typeautomobiles in which the front frame members are arranged quite close tothe ground, it is often desirable to have this collision contact faceextend upward more than downward with respect to the buffer front stripor member, and any of these types of clampin contact devices may ifdesired have each en formed with one or more integrally stamped orotherwise formed clamping members thereon, some of which may more orless fit around or enclose the inwardly extending 7 ends or other partsof the cooperating buffer front strip so as to have considerablealigning action with respect thereto. In many cases it is desirable toform this spring steel Renewed September 1, 1922. Serial No. 585,831.

or other contact clamping member with a polished nickel plate finish, soas to have a desirable appearance when secured upon the black finishedor other spring steel stri buffer members with which it may be use Inthe accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way variousillustrative embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of buffer.

Figs. 2 to 4 are transverse vertical sections taken substantiallv alongthe corresponding section lines of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another construction.

Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof; and

Figs. 7 to 11 are perspective views of other illustrative constructions.

The automobile .bult'er may have any desired or suitable constructionand preferably comprises one or more pieces of spring steel strip whichat the butter front. ma in some cases be advantageously arrange inoverlapping or reenforcing position, or may if desired have these frontstrips extend toward and in line with each other without substantialoverla ing. As is indicated in Fig. 1, a modifietl fiyon type springbuffer is shown comprising the attaching arm or member such as 1connected with the end loop 4 through the outwardly extending bend orcurved portion 3. This spring steel strip may be extended inward fromthe end loop 4. so that this front strip 9 may extend to about the point8 and have this end slotted if desired like the corresponding frontstrip 7 of the other spring steel strip buffer memher, which may have anend loop 6 curved portion 5 and attaching member 2. t

Instead of or in addition to the usua. clamping or connecting devicesthese bufi'er front strips or impact receiving members 7 9, may beadjustably or otherwise connected by contact and clamping devices in theform of an integral sheet metal or spring steel member which may have awide vertical contact face adjacent the center of the buffer. As isshown in Fig. 1 this contact clamping device may have several verticallyseparated contact portions such as 11, 12 which may be stiffened andstrengthened by forming reenforcing ribs such as 13, 19 some or all ofthe substantially h edges of this membefijt least the upper edges areprefe y formed with such integral stiffening ibs which besides strengthvening the member, gives it a more pleasing appearance. Iii-some casesthe central slot or opening 17 may have a considerable horizontal extentand if desired the ends of this opening or slot may be gradually reducedso as to extend nearly in line with the attach ing members in somecases. Any suitable form of connecting or clamping means may be used toadjustably or otherwise connect the ends of this contact clamping deviceto the buffer front strips 7, 9 which may in some cases have slottedends 8. 10 formed with the slots or apertures 39 for clamping connectingpurposes. In some cases one or more round end clamping bolts such as maextend through each of the clampin ends of the contact device andthrough su 1 slots or apertures in the buffer front strip, so as to makestrong or rigid contact therewith. It is however. desirable to form eachof these clamping ends of the contact device with one or more integralenclosing clamping members such as 18, which as indicated in Fig. 4 maybe formed by bending around integral tongues or projections on thisspring steel plate so that a. clamping bolt 20 may tighten these stripssecurely around the bufl'er front member within. The adjacentreenforcing ribs may as indicated extend out adjacent these front stripsso as to have an important vertical aligning action in connectiontherewith. and promote the strength and rigidity of this clampingconnection of the buffer elements.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the contact and clampingdevice may have if desired a substantially fiat or straight centralcontact face comprising the more or less separated contact members 21,22 of generally arched or curved form, so as to have a somewhatlenticular opening 23 between them. The edges of these verticallyseparated contactportions may advantageously be formed with rearwardlyrejecting stifl'ening ribs such as 13,which 0 course, considerably addto the strength and stillness of this. central contact member undercollision conditions especially if it is made of tempered spring steel.In some cases i is desirable to have the contact member formed with endconnector portions such as 24, 25 which extend out a considerabledistance toward or to the end loops 4, 6 of the front strips and theseconnector portions may as indicated in Fig. 6 be rearwardly bent orinclined and he preferably formed substantially straight where they areto be adjustably connected with the cooperatin front stri Suitable ribsmay be forme on the as es of these connector portions strengthening theconstruction at this point, and also promoting the vertical alignment ofthe cooperating connected parts which 'may be clamped or connectedtogether in any desired way. Integral enclosing clamping members may beused for this purpose and several such integral clamping members 18 areshown on each connector end of this wide front contact and clampingdevice, so as to be tightened around the ad'ustable front strips 7, 9when the clamping olts 26 are tightened. In some cases it is preferableto raisethis wide central contact portion of the bufler front somewhatabove the center line of its end connector portions and by raising thiscentral part three fourths of an inch or an inch more or less in any ofthese front designs. the stock for the integral clampin strips orprojections can be out or formed rom a strip 0i sheet metal with aminimum of waste where this particular form of enclosing clamp shown inFig. 4 is used.

F i g. 7 shows another construction in which the wide contact face ofthe contact and clampin device is given a somewhat diffcrent orm, so asto comprise the vertically separated contact portlons 27, 29 separatedby the taper end slot or aperture 28. If desired this contact portionmay be somewhat raised beyond the and connector portions 33 for similarreasons especially since this gives the added hei ht of the frontcontact face, which is usua ly desirable with the present low hungautomobile frame ends. Similar stiflening and strengthening ribs such as13 may be formed on this front contact portion and the connector endsmay be formed with the aligning or stifi'enin flanges 32 shown in Fig.8, so as to facilitate the alignment of the buffer front stri which maybe bolted to these ends of t a contact device as by one or more bolts 30and nuts 31. In the form shown in Fig.1) the contact and clamping devicehas two vertically separated strips or contact portions 34, 36. whoseoutline is determined b the intermediate aperture or slot 35. n thiscase one of these contact strips or portions may be substantially inline with the connector end portions 33 of this contact device, whichmay be similarly ribbed and reenforced and bolted or otherwise connectedto the buffer front strips 7, 9 in an adjustable or rigid manner.

Fig. 10 shows still ainother illustrative construction in which thecontact clamping device may have a somewhat greater vertical width andstrength in its central portion. since only two lenticular apertures orslots 39 are stamped or formed in this contact face. This stamped outmaterial may be more or less formed into the integral stiffening ribs 13extending around from one or all of the edges of the plate which mayhave connector end portions 33 bolted or clamped in any suitable way tothe buffer front strips. Fig. 11 shows still another construction inwhich the contact Ill) clam ing device 40 has a sin le wide contact acewhich may be unper orated if desired and formed with heavy stiffeningribs or flanges 13 at its top and bottom edges. Any suitable lateralextensions or end connector portions 33 ma be formed on this contactplate and per orated if desired for one or more connector bolts 30 ateach end of the contact plate which may. thus be bolted or secured tothe one or more buffer front strips such as 7, 9. Where lateraladjustment of these parts is desired, the front strips may beconveniently formed with adjusting slots 39 through which these clampmgbolts may pass so as to secure several inches or so ad uStment at eachend of the buffer.

This invention has been described in connection with a number ofembodiments, forms, proportions, parts, arrangements, materials, methodsof connection and use, to the details of which disclosure the inventionis not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what isdesired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appendedclaims:

1. The automobile bufl'er formed ofspring steel strip and comprisingattaching arms, end loops and connected front strips having inwardlyextending substantially straight connector portions, and a resilientsheet metalcontact and clam ing device formed with ribbed vertical yseparated" central contact portions and with channeled end connectorportions extending adjacent said end loops and enclosing clampingmembers to ad'ustably and securely clamp each of sai front strips atseparated points and securely connect the buffer elements.

2. The automobile butler formed of spring steel strip and comprising endloops andconnected front strips having inwardly extending connectorportions, and a. resilient sheet metal contact and clamping deviceformed with vertically separately cen tral contact portions and withchanneled end connector portions extending adjacent said end loops andintegral clamping members to adjustably and securely clamp each of saidfront strips at separated points and securely connect the bufferelements.

3. The automobile buffer formed of spring steel strip and comprisingend'loo s and connected front strips having inward y extending connectorportions, and an integral contact and clamping device formed withvertically separated central contact u portions and with end connectorportions 4. The automobile bufl'er can of spring steel strip andcomprisi arms, end loops and connected i ront strips extending inwardtoward each otherand a resilient sheet metal contact and clamping deviceformed with ribbed verticall separated central contact portions and witintegral enclosing clampin members for said front strips to adjustab yand securely clamp each of said front strips at se arated points andsecurely connect the bu er elements.

5. The automobile bufi'er formed spring steel strip and comprisingattaching arms, end loops and connected front strips extending inwardtoward each other and a resilient sheet metal contact and clampingdevice formed with vertically separated central contact portions and witclamping members for said front st'ri s to adjustablyand securely clampeach 0 said front strips at segarated points and securely connect theufl'er elements.

6. The resilient strip automoible bufi'er comprising attaching arms, endloops and connected inwardly extending front strips, and a resilientsheet metal contact and clamping device formed with. verticallyseparated contact ortions extending substantially betweenysaid attachingarms and with inte a1 enclosing clampin members for'said ront st i s toadjustab y and securely clamp said rbnt strips at separated pointsadjacent said end loops and securely connectthe bufl'er elements.

7. The resilient strip automobile buffer comprising attaching arms, endloops and connected inwardly extending front strips, and a conta andclamping devi extending across t "e center of the bufi'ervfront andformed Wi vertically separated contact portions and with inte ralenclosing clampmg membeis for said ront strips to adjustably andsecurely clamp said front strips at separated points nd'acent said endloops and securely connect t e buffer elements.

8. The spring strip automobile butler comprising looped end front stripsand a connected vertically extending sheet metal contact and clampingdevice extendin acrossthe center of the bufl'er front an formed adjacentits ends. with a plurality of integral clamping members to secure thesame; substantially rigidly to the inner ends I of said front strips.

9. The spring strip automobile butler comprising front strips and aconnected vertically extending inte a1 sheet metal contactand clampingevice exten across the center of the bullet front formed adjacent itsends with a plluralit'y of clamping members to secure t e samesubstantially, to the inner end-cf said front Strips.

'10. The automobile bull er comprising a" attaching dag 'bent connectorends front central collision face having "Vern-- spring strip bufl'erfront and a connected vertically extending integralresilient contact nndclamping device extending across theeenter of the butler. front andhavin vertically separated central portions and formed adjacent its endswith a plurality of clamping members to secure the same substantiallyrigidly t0 the inner ends of said butler front. V

11. The automobile bufier comprising a bufi'er front and a connectedvertically extending integral resilient cont-h and clamping deviceextending across the center of the buffer front and having verticallyseparated central' portions and a plurality of clamping members tosecure the same to the inner ends of said bufi'er front.

12. The resilient sheet metal vertically extending contact and clampindevice adapted for use with spring strip automobilebnfiers andcomprising rearwardly and a relatively flat cllly separated ribbedreenforced rtions and having adjacent each end inte al enclosing clampng members adapte to errgage and; securely "hold butier'strips.

13. The resilient vertically extending'contact and clamping deviceadapted for use with spring strip automobile buffers and comprisingconnector ends' and a central collision face having vertically separatedribbed reenforced portions located above the center line of saidconnector ends and havad'acent each end clamping members in aifaptc toengage and securely hold buffer strips.

- 14. The one piece-spring steel vertically extending contact andclamping device adapted for use with spring strip automobile butters andcomprising separated rearwardly bent clamping ends and a centralcollision face having vertically separated reenforced portions andhaving adjacent each end integral clamping members adapted to align andsecurely hold bufi'er strips.

15. The spring steel vertically extending contact and clamping deviceadapted for use with spring strip automobile butters anicomprisingseparated ends and a-central collision face having vertically separatedportions and having adjacent each end clamping members adapted to beseeured to buffer strips.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

